Match Report

Ayr United 0-1 Aberdeen (Maguire 40) FT
Co-operative Insurance Cup 2nd Round (Kick off 7:45pm)

Aberdeen are through to the 3rd round of the Co-operative Insurance Cup, courtesy of a Chris Maguire goal 5 minutes before the break. Although far from a stunning performance, the Dons were in complete control throughout the game and thoroughly deserved their victory and their place in Monday’s 3rd round draw.

Aberdeen lined up at Somerset Park with several changes from the side which drew with Rangers on Saturday. The injured Scott Severin was replaced with Lee Mair, Bertrand Bossu replaced Jamie Langfield and Chris Maguire came in for the suspended Lee Miller. It was Bossu’s first competitive appearance for the Dons and Lee Mair’s first start of the season. There was also a first for Jamie Smith as he captained the Dons for the first time.

Meanwhile Ayr United had two ex-Dons in tonight’s squad. Bryan Prunty started up front and former U19s keeper Fraser Stewart was on the bench.

Aberdeen began brightly with Derek Young heading over a Jamie Smith corner after only 5 minutes. Young was unmarked in the box and really should have given the Dons the lead. Jamie Smith was next to come close as he volleyed over a Darren Mackie knock down.

The Dons had the better possession after the opening 20 minutes but had failed to really create any clear cut chances. Although through balls in behind the Ayr centres back looked like they could bring some joy, as Walker and Campbell didn’t look like they could handle the pace of Mackie and Maguire.

Just as it was looking like both sides would enter the break level, Chris Maguire scored his first of the season to give the Dons a deserved lead. Aberdeen caught Ayr on the break, Charlie Mulgrew swept in a beautiful cross into the box, and as the Ayr defenders claimed for off-side, Chris Maguire timed his run perfectly, stuck out a foot and the ball squirmed under Grindlay.

Half-time

Ayr United 0-1 Aberdeen

Ayr started the second half well, with Bossu, who had been a spectator in the first half, dropping an Ayr corner and Campbell really should have put the home side level but Mair managed to scramble the ball clear. Campbell had another chance from the resulting corner, but this time headed straight at Bossu.

Derek Young came close with a header on 55 minutes from another Mulgrew cross and a minute later Smith was unlucky not to get the Dons second. Young played a good ball through and Smith looked to have done everything right, as the keeper narrowed the angle the stand in skipper flicked it over him and the ball came back off the post before the home side managed to clear.

The Dons again came close after 68 minutes. A Mulgrew corner was cleared, Maguire chipped the ball back into the box, Considine headed back across goal but Young couldn’t find the net with a left footed shot.

Bryan Prunty then had a decent effort on goal for Ayr as he tried to lob Bossu, but his shot went into the keepers arms. Big Bert s not the easiest to lob!

Gary McDonald almost put the tie beyond Ayr as got his foot to a Mulgrew cross but Grindlay managed to pull off a superb save, left handed tipping the ball around the  post and out for the corner. The Dons last chance fell to Wright as his shot from an acute angle was saved by the keeper when a cut back to Smith might have been the better option, but it mattered little as the Dons held on to book their place in Monday’s 3rd round draw.

Ayr: Grindlay, Walker, Campbell, Easton, Keenan, Dempsie, Stevenson, Aitken, Borris (Gormley 76), Prunty, Williams (Agnew 76)
Subs: Stewart,  McGowan, McLeod

Aberdeen: Bossu, Foster, Mair, Considine, Mulgrew, Smith, Kerr, McDonald, Young, Mackie (de Visscher 80), Maguire (Wright 77)
Subs: Langfield, Duff, Paton

RedTV will be the only place you can see highlights of tonight’s match, along with all the usual post-match reaction from Jimmy Calderwood and the players.